Patent Application
20220106176
The present invention relates to bottle opening devices and methods. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrically powered bottle opening and beverage preservation device and method for use with bottles that are sealed by a stopper or cork or the like. In addition, the bottle opening device and method also provides a means to reseal the bottle and preserve the liquid inside the bottle.
Cork, (Gk. phellos), is a compressible wood having low water absorption derived from the meristern bark of live oaks. It has been known to be in use since 400 BC. Cork has been used to close bottles, and in particular wine bottles, since the 1600's. The elastically compressible nature of cork, coupled with its low absorption of water, make it ideally suited as a closure material, because it conforms to openings, even those having a somewhat irregular shape, forming a water tight seal.
Cork is still in use today by wine vintners, in part because of its historically proven successful performance, and also because it embodies the public's perception of the bottling method of choice, especially for finer wines. A certain savoir faire is often associated with the opening of a bottle of wine, and a variety of uncorking devices have been developed to assist in the presentation. The uncorking task is complicated by the nature of the cork material. While cork is elastically compressible, it is also somewhat friable, and is subject to crumbling when dry or exposed to excessive force. Being a natural product there is also an inherent degree of nonhomogeneity. The cumulative effect of these factors has resulted in a plethora of uncorking devices. Most of the more recent inventions use a worm-like helical “shaftless” corkscrews to minimize the over-all expansion of the cork when the corkscrews is inserted. Expansion is undesirable as it increases the radial force on the perimeter of the cork against the interior wall of the neck of the bottle, making the cork harder to extract. The older type of corkscrews is the auger “shaft” type corkscrews The inserted “shaft” tends to expand the cork outwards, making uncorking more difficult. Rydgren U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,486 discusses this effect. Note, that both types of corkscrews have a very low thread count with a high degree of pitch and a wide flight so as to distribute the twisting action through out the cork, therein reducing the probability of the cork crumbling.
Mechanized corkscrew and in particular electric corkscrews have been described in the prior art, as a means of automating the uncorking process. Manual uncorking using a corkscrew is not particularly physically rigorous, however it does require a repetitious twisting action, which can become difficult after several bottles. The twisting action can be extremely painful for someone with arthritis, or carpal tunnel syndrome. Mechanized corkscrews alleviate the twisting action, and all but eliminate the physical effort, however, generally, with coincident deleterious effects on the cork. For instance, Spencer U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,975 discloses an automatic corkscrew wherein the force of the rotating corkscrew extracts the cork into the “extraction tube”. During the extraction, the corkscrew penetrates through the base of the cork, which can result in cork grinds being conveyed into the bottle. Secondly, the torque required to extract the cork is on the order of 2-3 times the torque required to twist the corkscrew into the cork, reaching a peak torque just prior to the cork yielding to the extraction forces. Twisting the corkscrew into the cork requires only approximately 1 Newton-meter, however to pull the cork out using a corkscrew with a 45 degree pitch (1.4 mechanical advantage) varies depending on the percent of compression and nature of the cork, but is generally on the order of 2.5-3.5 Newton-meters. This level of torque would create a pulling force of 26 to 38 Kg on the cork. This is sufficient force to cause considerable grinding action on the cork by the rotating corkscrew hence the coincident deleterious effects on the cork.
Another consideration, particularly for battery powered corkscrew as disclosed in Spencer U.S. Pat. No. 5,079,975, is that the readily available commercial drivers have only a finite amount of dynamic torque. The dynamic torque, while being more than adequate for twisting in the corkscrew is, without gear reduction modification or a much more expensive driver, marginal at the peak torque demand during the cork extraction. The problem of marginal torque is further exacerbated wherein it is desirous to extract the cork without previously removing the packaging seal. It should be noted that in serving large parties of people, where one is most likely to employ an electric corkscrew, the packaging seal is frequently not removed, because it takes as much time to take it off as it does to uncork the bottle.
Thus, there is a long-felt need to develop a new type of bottle opener device that is simple to use, aesthetically pleasing, and minimizes the damage to the cork or stopper. There is also a further need for a bottle opener device that is battery powered and is easily rechargeable for continued use.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an easy to use, aesthetically pleasing electrically powered bottle opening and beverage preservation device and method that can be easily and quickly inserted into the cork or stopper of a bottle and with the press of a button, remove the cork or stopper from the bottle and also be used for removing air from the bottle for beverage preservation.
Embodiments will be described with reference to the following drawing figures, in which like numerals represent like items throughout the figures, and in which:
The present invention is described with reference to the attached figures. The figures are not drawn to scale and they are provided merely to illustrate the invention. Several aspects of the invention are described below with reference to example applications for illustration. It should be understood that numerous specific details, relationships, and methods are set forth to provide a full understanding of the invention. One having ordinary skill in the relevant art, however, will readily recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details or with other methods. In other instances, well-known structures or operation are not shown in detail to avoid obscuring the invention. The present invention is not limited by the illustrated ordering of acts or events, as some acts may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other acts or events. Furthermore, not all illustrated acts or events are required to implement a methodology in accordance with the present invention.
The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or design described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs. Rather, use of the word exemplary is intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion. As used in this application, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or”. That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from context, “X employs A or B” is intended to mean any of the natural inclusive permutations. That is if, X employs A; X employs B; or X employs both A and B, then “X employs A or B” is satisfied under any of the foregoing instances.
Referring now to
Referring now to
A motor gear 32 is rigidly affixed to the shaft of the motor 30 and is configured to mesh with a piston gear 34. The motor gear 32 may be a bevel gear that meshes with a bevel piston gear 34. The piston gear 34 is rotatably affixed to a frame 17. The frame 17 may be configured to be rigidly affixed to the motor 30 and the right housing 14. Affixed to the piston gear 34 is a piston 36. The piston 36 is affixed to the piston gear 32 so that it moves in a back and forth motion as the piston gear 34 rotates. The piston 36 translates back and forth in a compressor cylinder 38. Compressor cylinder 38 has been removed from
The piston 36 creates a positive pressure, the pressure stroke, as it is forced forward in the compressor cylinder 38 by the rotation of the piston gear 32. This positive pressure of air is transferred through the needle 24 and out of the orifice 24a into the internal volume of the bottle that is to be opened. As more and more pressurized air is transferred through the needle 24 into the internal volume of the bottle, the internal pressure in the bottle increases rapidly. The increased internal pressure in the bottle will act to force the cork/stopper out of the bottle. Through experimentation it has been found that most corks/stoppers will release from the bottle when an internal pressure in the bottle is between 30-55 psi. An air inlet passageway 40 is provided adjacent the compressor cylinder 38. The inlet passageway 40 is configured to communicate air from the air inlet 18 to the compressor cylinder 38.
Referring now to
Referring now to
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63088513 | Oct 2020 | US |
